What’s the purpose of technical production in the church? What about your church? Josiah Way answers this in his new book, Producing Worship: A Theology of Church Technical Arts. On today’s show, Chris Huff interviews Dr. Way to talk about the basis of the book and the important aspects of church technical work that’s often overlooked by tech artists. You’ll also find out why Chris believes this book should be mandatory reading for pastors, worship leaders, and everyone in the church tech community.
Resources:
Listen via:
Thanks for this interview, When you first pointed this resource out I ordered the book and loved it. The challenges of managing incremental change in the church are critical to both advance worship and protect congregations from attack.
Before cancelling paper church bulletins:
Trees for paper are grown as a crop. Not printing means a tree not planted, not a tree saved.
See https://www.sappi.com/the-neuroscience-of-touch for a discussion about the sense of ownership that comes with holding something. The phone screen is not the same thing.
Thanks Chris for sharing this fantastic resource. Can’t wait to read the book.
I find myself mulling over the portion about influencing emotions. I have used the term manipulating to describe some of that and feel a need to modify my vocabulary and hence thinking. I am also working on the word authentic, which was critiqued on the podcast, but to me has a closer translation to honest or real than historic. I think we need to be careful to not try too hard to create emotions that are less than authentic, and can end up shipwrecking faith when the rest of life doesn’t match up. I’ve seen this from both sides… and would welcome perspectives on this.
Also, please look into the idea of saving a tree. The paper and wood industries grow trees as a crop. More demand, more trees. Less demand and there is no reason to plant them. I’m all for intelligent use of electronic tech, but there is also a haptic response to print that is important (see https://www.sappi.com/the-neuroscience-of-touch).
Thanks. He does have it available an an eBook. I do think some words carry so much weight that we can feel afraid to use them, even if they are good words for our intent. I think that’s why I often use the idea of a fine-dining restaurant with subtle lighting, nice music at a proper level, etc. as it’s not to change our emotion but to put us into the atmosphere that’s intended for the context.
Thanks Chris for sharing this fantastic resource/information. Can’t wait to go through the book.
Excellent podcast …. every tech should hear this message, and even more-so purchase the book. Thank you to Josiah Way and to you, Chris, for bringing this purpose-driven, theological focus to our ministry of tech.
Thanks Chris forsharing this fantastic information. Can’wait to go throug the book.